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Give Me Shelter documents the joint efforts of the MADWORKSHOP Homeless Studio with the USC School of Architecture to effectively begin tackling the Los Angeles homeless crisis. Following 11 fourth-year architecture students and their instructors Sofia Borges and R. Scott Mitchell over one semester of work, the book not only documents their collaboration but illustrates the feasibility of reversing the current state of an otherwise massive and growing issue.
Los Angeles declared a state of emergency on homelessness in 2015 and since then homelessness has only increased by nearly 30 percent. Give Me Shelter attempts not only to bring greater attention to the urgency of this humanitarian crisis, but it also demonstrates real-world solutions through architecture, for, as Borges points out, “it is cheaper to house our homeless than to continue to do nothing.” Funded by MADWORKSHOP, The Homeless Studio project provided innovative designs for shelters and living units that may serve as alternatives for individuals who would be living on the streets.
The participating students' architectural designs and their explanations and implementations, including the building process, are featured in the publication. The book also includes exclusive content shedding light on the homeless crisis from leaders in the field, including Michael Maltzan, Ted Hayes, Betty Chinn, Gregory Kloehn, Skid Row Housing Trust and more.
The results of this project continue far beyond the pages of the book, however, as Homes for Hope, the final award-winning project highlighted in Give Me Shelter, will, in an ongoing collaboration with Los Angeles City Hall, allow for a 30-bed modular community to be built by 2018. The book includes a foreword from Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles supporting the ideas and solutions provided in Give Me Shelter. Also featured in the publication are the designs and planning for Homes for Hope, showing readers what the future for homelessness in Los Angeles can and will hold.
Give Me Shelter: Architecture Takes on the Homeless Crisis is published by ORO Editions and available on Amazon beginning today.